You Deserve To Be Healthy!: Newsletter #5 I Need Chocolate Now!

I NEED CHOCOLATE NOW!

Oh those wonderful cravings! The body never makes mistakes. Cravings are an important piece of information that lets you know what your body needs. Most people crave sugar. The majority of us head for those highly accessible treats: candy bars, cake, cookies or ice cream. There are healthy alternatives to help you alleviate these cravings. Your body is asking for energy. There are two different types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbs are mostly found in processed foods that contain refined sugar and have few vitamins and minerals. From the moment they are ingested they hit your bloodstream which raises your glucose levels and gives you a sugar rush. This rush is followed by a crash. Other foods that contain simple sugars are fruit but fruit also contains fiber which slows down the digestion and the speed by which the sugar enters the cells. Unprocessed foods that appear in nature contain complex carbs. They are made up of complex chains and are broken down more slowly and therefore absorbed over a longer period of time. If you eat a complex carb at breakfast you will most likely have enough energy to last until lunch. Eat a cookie, candy bar or a donut and you will crash and burn by 9am., only to repeat the cycle again and again.
So what are you to do?
Here are 10 steps for dealing with sugar addiction and cravings:
1. Reduce or eliminate caffeine - It will reduce the highs and lows that make cravings more frequent.
2. Drink water - Cravings can be a sign of dehydration.
3. Eat sweet vegetables and fruit - these are great replacement foods.
4. Use gentle sweets - like maple syrup, stevia, barley malt, brown rice syrup and agave.
5. Get more physically active - This will help balance your sugar levels and boost your energy.
6. Get more sleep - This will take care of stress or tired cravings.
7. Look at the amount of animal food you eat - Eating too much or too little can lead to sugar cravings. Learn by experimenting what is the right amount for you.
8. Eliminate fat free or low fat packaged snack foods - These are made with a high amount of sugar to make up for the lack of taste due to the lack of fat.
9. Experiment with spices - Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves will naturally sweeten your food.
10. Slow down and find sweetness in non-food ways - Your body may be craving hugs, time with friends, time outside or a good message.
So find ways to reduce your intake of simple carbs and follow the 10 steps above and you will see a marked difference in your craving for sugar.

Information from Anne Louise Gittleman's book: Get the Sugar Out: 501 Simple Ways to Cut the Sugar Out of Anyone's Diet.

Scheduled Demos:

September 23, 2010:
Mrs Greens: Stamford - 11:30-1:30
Glorious Greens

September 28, 2010
Mrs Greens: Fairfield - 10:30-1:30
Glorious Greens

October 7, 2010
Mrs Greens: Fairfield - 10:30-1:30
Calcium Without The Cow

Whole Foods in Westport, Darien and New Milford in October and November

WHOLE OATMEAL
MAKES 2 CUPS OR 2 SERVINGS

Start off by
soaking oat groats

1 1/2 cups of whole oat grouts.

Place the oat groats in a small bowl and cover with water. Soak for 8-12 hours at room temperature. Drain in a colander and rinse well. Return the groats to the bowl and add enough fresh water to cover. Soak for another 8-12 hours. Drain and rinse again. Allow the groats to air dry for 30 minutes. These can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Note: I buy my groats at any health food store that has bulk items. I start this process at dinner time, rinse in the morning and complete at the next dinner time. I then make the groats into the oatmeal and put in the frig. It is then ready for breakfast for the next few mornings.

Whole Oatmeal

2 cups of soaked groats
1/2 apple peeled and chopped
2 T of maple syrup, honey or agave
2 T of water or apple juice
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t of vanilla extract
1/4 t of sea salt
2 T of raisins

Combine all the ingredients except the raisins in a food processor and process until smooth.
Occasionally scrape down the sides.
Serve immediately with your favorite milk or store in frig until the next morning.
To warm, gently heat on the stove for a few minutes before adding the milk.

Raw Food Made Easy
by Jennifer Cornbleet

You Deserve To Be Healthy!

Create the health you always wanted!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Newsletter #5 I Need Chocolate Now!

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